Do’s and Dont’s When Choosing Tiles for Your Home

Tile flooring is definitely one of the best options you have available, regardless of the area of your house. This is a cost-effective, low-maintenance solution that is also quite durable and water-resistant.

In terms of visuals, it’s quite impressive and comes in all textures and patterns. Other than this, dusting a tile flooring is incredibly easy, which ensures that the air quality in the room will be substantially higher, as well.

Keep in mind that this method is also quite eco-friendly, which makes it not just a smart thing to do but also an ethical choice.

Do: Consider traffic and pressure

The first thing you need to figure out is the type of traffic in that particular room. First of all, there’s always going to be foot traffic when choosing floor tiles.

Still, not all tiles go to the floor. In other words, the first decision that you have to make is whether the tiles are going on the floor or on the wall.

Even if they’re not going on the floor, they might be under a bit of pressure. Countertops, for instance, are exposed to scratching and residue of all sorts. Therefore, you might want to pick something a bit harder.

Don’t: Ignore the porosity

Keep in mind that there are some tiles that are particularly porous either in order to be more aesthetic (fit in a certain pattern) or because they’re made of a specific porous material.

The division of porosity is based on the amount of water it can absorb. Anything that absorbs less than 0.5% is considered impervious.

Between 0.5% and 3% is vitreous, while semi-vitreous absorbs between 3% and 5%. In other words, it’s more than clear that tiles in your kitchen and your bathroom need to be picked amongst the impervious category.

Do: Look for something slip-resistant

Whenever you’re choosing tiles, you want something that’s slip-resistant. Still, in some rooms, this is a higher priority than in other areas.

For instance, in a kitchen or a bathroom a risk of slip is much higher. Materials like ceramic and porcelain are naturally slippery, which is why they need an appropriate coating.

Still, porcelain tiles with the right coating are quite resistant and low maintenance. Slate, on the other hand, is naturally slip-resistant, due to its unique texture.

It’s also worth mentioning that the size of tiles affects their coefficient of friction. It’s incredibly important that you get all of this right.

Don’t: Base your decision exclusively on the looks

The next thing worth considering is the look of the tiles in question. You need to break all your prejudices and expectations on what these tiles look like or should look like.

Today, there are tiles that look like hardwood, marble or any other material that you are interested in. What are the advantages? Well, tiles are easier to maintain than hardwood and a lot more frugal than marble.

This means that even if you do decide to go for tiles, you’re not locking yourself out of any particular style or look.

Do: Consider the room properties

The next thing you need to keep in mind is the importance of picking the tiles according to the room. So, here are some ideas.

Kitchen floor tiles

With kitchen floor tiles, you have several priorities. First, you want low absorption. Second, you want a flooring option that is not slippery, seeing as how this is where the majority of slip-related accidents happen in areas with a large splash area.

This is definitely the case with the kitchen. Unlike with the bathroom, you’re bound to spill something even more slippery. For instance, you could slip oil or drop some butter.

Sure, this grease is problematic for any kind of flooring, which brings us to our next point. A kitchen floor needs to be low-maintenance.

As for the visuals, black and white tiles are a standard but you could go for something more extravagant.

Bathroom

When it comes to bathroom tiles, you need to think about porosity, slip resistance and maintenance. This last part is particularly important because this is the area that you will have to swipe the most often. As far as aesthetics go, it’s important that you keep in mind several things.

First, bathroom tiles usually don’t stop with the floor. This means that the total surface covered in tiles will be significantly larger. It also means that you need to pick something that will provide you with a more seamless transition.

Living room

Living room tiles are another incredibly popular option worth your consideration. While some argue that tiles are cold, this is not necessarily the case, especially if you already had a plan of enhancing your flooring with a nice rug.

For those living in a humid climate, tiles are probably the best flooring solution. If moving to a different climate, these are the types of things that you want to look for. The thing is that this is one of the areas in your home that receives the most foot traffic.

On top of it, there’s also a likelihood that you will rearrange the furniture layout in this room fairly often. If that is the case, it’s for the best that you take something scratch-resistant.

Don’t: Measure the place on your own

While measuring the place on your own isn’t a horrible idea, it’s often misleading. You might be generally interested in the dimensions of the surface that you need to be covered.

This is quite helpful if you decide to prepare a budget for this remodeling project. Nonetheless, measuring the floor-length without proper supervision means that you will have trouble with odd angles and make mistakes due to floor inclination and edges.

With the help of a professional, you will get the exact surface that you need, as well as get informed on the exact number of tiles you need to get the job done.

Do: Use your budget as a major factor

One of the biggest factors is your budget. Different material and tile types have different costs. This is why it’s so important that you only look at those options that you can actually afford.

Also, keep in mind to set your priorities straight. If you’re decorating on a budget, you probably want something simple and low maintenance.

If, on the other hand, you’re looking to create a luxurious area within your home, it might be best to go for stone tiles. These tiles are also slip-resistant, which means that they’re a decent option regardless of the area.

Don’t: Skip shopping around

Just because you found the exact tile that you like and the price is reasonable, this doesn’t mean that you couldn’t get a better one if you tried shopping around a bit.

Think about it, what do you have to lose? Just a bit of time. Even if you find that the price is reasonable or find that the first offer that you’ve landed upon is the best one on the market, you will gain a privilege to rest knowing your money is well-spent.

In other words, you either gain reassurance or save money. It’s a win-win scenario, one of few in life.

Do: Manipulate the space with the use of tiles

Those who want to make their home look bigger might have an easier job of doing so if they go with tiles. Why? Well, first of all, bright tiles will create an optical illusion of a larger space.

Bright colors, in general, have this effect on the perception of space, however, tiles, apart from being just bright, also benefit from being reflective.

This is especially great in the bathroom which is, generally the smallest room in the house, which makes this always worth your while. Installing tiles on the walls and enhancing the area with mirrors will further boost this effect.

Don’t: Take the installation lightly

The installation is incredibly important and in order to make it right, you need to hire the right team. First of all, you need to look for specialists.

Second, you need to inquire about their credentials and previous experience in the industry.

Third, it would be a good idea if you were to make a contract. You want to have all their services in writing so that you can rest assured that the job will be done.

Also, do some shopping around. Sometimes, you may decline an offer just based on your intuition. This is fine, seeing as how there are always more offers to consider.

In conclusion

In the end, choosing tiles for your own home is a challenging task and a major decision. A floor is something that requires weekly maintenance and endures daily foot traffic.

It is also the largest surface of your home, which means that it sets the tone for the entirety of the room. Other than this, in increases the functionality and boosts the resale value of the place.

The key thing to remember is that you have so many options to choose from, both in terms of the visuals and the functionality of the area in question. Choose wisely!